MARCHES ACADEMY TRUST - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Chairman of the Board of Trustees
- Co - Founder of a Whitchurch - Based Technology Company
Along with his wife, Alex is a co-founder of a Whitchurch-based technology company with an international client base, which has provided work experience opportunities for local students for many years. Outside of work and school, he is currently chair of Whitchurch Hockey Club, and actively involved in playing and coaching players of all ages.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of Education
- Science Specialist
Alison is a science specialist with early experience of both subject leadership, as a leader in a successful department, and pastoral leadership as Head of Year for KS4. She moved to The Marches School 18 years ago as Assistant Headteacher with leadership of data, assessment, AfL, examinations and student and parent voice, later moving to lead the school's Pastoral team as a Deputy Head, remodelling the structures and systems to build on the capacity to support students and staff.
Job Titles:
- Associate Executive Director of Education ( Inclusions )
- Inspector for Area SEND Inspections
Amy serves as an Ofsted Inspector for Area SEND Inspections, and works with multiple partner agencies and local authorities to improve education and opportunities for children, young people and their families.
Amy is passionate about inclusion and believes that it should be central to all educational establishments, regardless of labels or challenges. Amy aims to create a better future for all learners by developing provision that is responsive, flexible, and tailored to individual needs and strengths. She thrives on collaborating with and supporting others to achieve this vision.
Job Titles:
- in 2011 As an Attendance Officer
Andy joined the Marches Academy Trust in 2011 as an Attendance Officer at Marches School and quickly used his previous experience in systems and information management to gain promotion to the School Improvement Team. This has enabled Andy to support the schools in improving information flow and reduce the number of IT packages in use resulting in driving efficiency. Andy now supports all schools across the Trust with student attendance, systems and information flow.
Andy has developed systems across the Trust to drive efficiency and support the Anytime, Anywhere Learning strategic objective. Andy joined from the Armed Forces where he was employed in the area of Information Management supporting RAF leaders at Board level. He is keen to remove unnecessary work to ensure teachers and support staff can focus on the education of children and young people across the schools. He is passionate about school attendance and believes the best place for a child to learn is for them to be an active part of a school community.
Job Titles:
- Trustee & Chair of Finance & Operations Committee
Angela spent over 17 years in senior financial roles within the education sector in both further Education and Multi-Academy Trusts.
Job Titles:
- Solicitor and Partner at Robert Mann Solicitors
Anna is a Solicitor and Partner at Robert Mann Solicitors. A former pupil of the Marches, Anna qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and has worked in the local area since. She acts in a wide range of property transactions including residential, commercial and agricultural work. Anna was a Governor at The Marches before becoming a Member. She now has two children at the school and enjoys being part of the school community.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Trustee Responsible for Finance & Operations
Arthur was involved in many local Community projects and initiatives as a Parish Councillor and Borough Councillor, and as a member on Shropshire Council from its inception as a unitary Council.
Job Titles:
- Trustee
- Trust Governance Officer & Clerk to the Trust 's Boards
Having joined the Trust in 2020, Bee is responsible for overseeing all aspects of governance effectiveness and compliance within the Trust, ensuring governance at all levels is carrying out its functions and adheres to best practice, whilst meeting statutory and regulatory requirements. Working collaboratively with the Trust's leaders, she ensures that governance supports and enables the operational delivery of the Trust's strategic objectives.
She leads on the development of the Trust's governance strategy and framework to ensure they are efficient and effective and coordinates the delivery and continuity of sound governance by driving ongoing improvements to the Trust's systems, processes, and structures. Responsible for advising the Board of Trustees on constitutional matters, duties and powers, she ensures the Trust conforms to its Articles of Association, Scheme of Delegation and Governors Handbook for the Trust. Additionally she advises and liaises with Clerks of Local Governing Bodies to help them deliver sound governance in their schools.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of People and Development for the Trust
Cavelle is the Executive Director of People and Development for the Trust - working closely with our schools to harness talent, develop leaders and ensure robust professional learning impacts on school improvement. Cavelle builds high performing teams and has a wide range of expertise in leading and advising on appropriate whole school improvement strategies, writing and delivering professional learning, developing coaching and facilitation skills and talent spotting. Cavelle has strategically grown the brand of the Alliance of Leading Learning and the National Professional Qualifications at national and international level, establishing a reputation for high quality leadership training, with over 10,000 school leaders and governors accessing the leadership programmes delivered.
Cavelle has developed The Alliance of Leading Learning from its inception in 2017. Previous to this role Cavelle was a senior leader in a diverse range of schools for over twenty years, provider of professional learning programmes across Cheshire East and the Director of "The Leadership Academy" at Edge Hill University. Cavelle has also driven major bespoke projects with city councils in transformational leadership with measured results in schools across whole local authorities.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Accountant
- Associate Executive Director of Finance and Business
Charlotte is the Trust's Associate Executive Director of Finance and Business, overseeing the non-educational support departments of our Trust. Heading up our Shared Services team, Charlotte is responsible for ensuring that our Headteachers are supported and receive a high quality of service to aid key decision making and the day to day operations of their schools. Pivotal to this is ensuring that all staff, children and young people are working and learning in sustainable, cost effective and first-class environments.
Charlotte is a qualified chartered accountant and has worked within academy finance since 2015. Since joining the Trust in 2021, Charlotte has built robust financial structures and controls resulting in enhanced reporting to our Headteachers, Executives and Trustees. Her key priority is ensuring value for money to enable the enhancement of the learning environment and experiences for all of our staff, volunteers, children and young people.
After completing her undergraduate degree in Business and Management, Charlotte completed a Masters degree in Accounting and Finance. Following a short spell of lecturing in accountancy for four years, Charlotte returned to Shropshire and joined a local accountancy practice where she managed a portfolio of not for profit and education clients offering both accountancy and audit services.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of Education
David previously held senior management posts with HSBC Bank.
Job Titles:
- Professional Learning Business Manager
Gemma is the Professional Learning Business Manager, for the Alliance of Leading Learning. Gemma also holds the role as NPQ Strategic Lead for the Shropshire and Telford Education Partnership (STEP). In addition, Gemma is a member of the Trust's Shared Services which aims to support the provision of a high quality of service to all the Trust's Schools.
Gemma has worked in the school environment for many years, joining the Trust in 2012 as a governance clerk. Since joining the Alliance of Leading Learning Team in 2017 she has led on the delivery of the Department for Education's National Professional Qualifications and the Governor Leadership Development Programme. Since joining the ALL team Gemma has built robust systems and processes to support the participants and delivery clusters.
Job Titles:
- Director of Marketing and Communications
Hayley is a tenacious marketing and communications expert with a proven track record of driving success in the corporate world. With a passion for showcasing great work of children and staff in the Trust's school and a strategic mindset, she has consistently achieved exceptional results by bridging the gap between the school and their communities.
As Director of Marketing and Communications, Hayley has spent years at the forefront of the industry, orchestrating marketing campaigns that have not only generated buzz but have also delivered tangible results. Her ability to craft compelling narratives and engage audiences across diverse channels has made her a key member of the Trust's Shared Services team.
Job Titles:
- Lead Professional Learning and Conferences Coordinator
Helen is Professional Learning and Conferences Coordinator for the Alliance of Leading Learning. Starting her career as a ‘YTS' over 35 years ago, Helen has been involved in many different roles across that time: lots of different jobs - just in the same place! Helen is now involved with all aspects under the ‘ALL umbrella' and enjoys working as part of a hardworking and supportive team.
Ian has worked in the computer industry for over 15+ years in varying roles. He has worked on BSF (Building Schools for the Future) projects with RM and spent time working across multiple schools up and down the UK. He spent several months working for a world leader in security systems before becoming a full-time Trust employee in 2020. He has helped to shape the current network and infrastructures across all the schools, unifying processes and allowing schools to stay up to date with industry standards.
He was originally brought in to support the Marches School in 2014 and since then helped visualise and shape how technology is used across the Trust.
Job Titles:
- Business Development Manager
Job Titles:
- Associate Executive Director of Education
- Associate Executive Director of Education ( School Improvement )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board
- Trustee & Chair of the Educational Standards Committee
Mark is a Board Member and UK ambassador for the Global DARE Foundation. He has been a governor for 30 years and is also a local Rotarian. Mark is the Chair of the Educational Standards Committee and is responsible for safeguarding and health & safety.
Job Titles:
- Personal Development and Student Voice
Niki is an expert in the field of trauma related childhood experiences with a proven track record of reconnecting children and young people with their school community. This isn't just about getting the child into a classroom but about developing an environment that allows the child to feel secure, connected and a drive to navigate and create their own journey. Niki has consistently achieved exceptional results by bridging the gap between the family, the child, the school and the community.
Niki has spent years at the forefront supporting some of our most vulnerable children and aspires to create school communities that are robust, flexible and inclusive of all creating greater connectivity.
Her ability to craft personalised pathways ensures she engages with all audiences across diverse channels resulting in her being a key member of the Trust's Shared Services team.
Pam is the Diocese of Lichfield appointee with a special interest for the Church schools within the Trust.
Robert Forrester read Geography at Oxford University and went on to qualify as a chartered accountant with Arthur Anderson.
He was then a Director of Reg Vardy plc between 2001 and 2006 where he held the roles of Finance Director and Managing Director.
Robert and his team founded the Vertu Motors group in late 2006 through a cash shell float in AIM. Vertu Motors plc is now the third largest automotive retailer in the UK employing over 7,000 colleagues, with a network of over 190 sales outlets across the UK.
Robert read Geography at Oxford University and went on to qualify as a chartered accountant with Arthur Anderson.
Robyn is a science specialist and has been a subject leader, has pastoral roles as Head of house and Head of Sixth form as well as leading teaching and learning as a lead practitioner. At senior leadership level she has led on raising standards, teaching and learning as well as having pastoral team responsibilities. Most recently Robyn has been a senior school improvement leader for a large Multi academy trust working across London and the South West. She has a Masters in Educational Leadership, qualifications in coaching, is a specialist leader in Education as well as recently working towards the NPQH.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Leader
Sarah Finch is an outstanding educational leader and the CEO of The Marches Academy Trust (MAT), a multi-academy sponsor based in Shropshire, a county with significant social and economic disadvantage. She is responsible for leading the Trust, working closely with the Board of Trustees, Executive Leaders and Headteachers to deliver the Trust's vision.
Job Titles:
- Trustee & Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee
- Trustee of ‘Shrewsbury House
Stuart is also a Trustee of ‘Shrewsbury House', a youth club in Everton which supports the local community there.
Stuart is part of the Leadership Team at Shrewsbury School.